‘No bird flu in Butuan’

AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on Monday belied reports that a duck farm in Butuan City was infected by avian influenza or bird flu.

In a post on his Facebook account, Piñol said that poor farm management and overcrowding caused the death of about 20 ducks in a farm there.

“Dr. Arlene Vytiaco, Bureau of Animal Industry focal person for Avian Influenza, said the Regional Animal Disease Detection Laboratory conducted an inspection of the farm following reports which appeared in the media today of a possible Avian Flu outbreak because of the death of several ducks,” Piñol said.

“The Regional Animal Disease Detection Laboratory officer said the duck farm was overcrowded and there was very poor farm management, especially in maintaining cleanliness, which was identified as the immediate cause of the deaths,” he added.

Piñol said the ducks did not show manifestations of fowls afflicted with bird flu, adding that the farm owner immediately reported the unusual number of duck deaths in his farm and the Regional Animal Disease Detection Laboratory officers conducted an on-site inspection.